A visit to St Stephens Chapel or Chapel Barn, Bures

I am not sure when I first heard about this building, which is through a farmyard and down a track in Bures. However, having read something about it I was fascinated to gather my camera and take the trip to Bures - which is not too far away.

 

My first two views of the chapel

About one mile north-east of the village, down a track through Fysh House Farm, lies my objective - the Chapel of St. Stephen. Apparently, this was the private chapel of the Manor of Tany, or Tauney, and was dedicated to St. Stephen on St. Stephen's Day 1218, by the Archbishop of Canterbury. This makes it the oldest building in the parish, it pre-dates the church by approximately 150 years.

There is good reason to believe that the Manor House for which the Chapel was once built, stood on the summit of Cuckoo Hill now occupied by a small grove of trees. For all houses that were of any importance, were fortified usually by a pallisade of wood with a commanding view of the open countryside.

The rear view of the chapel

Now for the story of the chapel's fame:

On Christmas Day 855, history tells us, Bishop Humbert of Elmham anointed a 14-year-old boy as King of the East Angles. The boy was Edmund, the chosen heir of King Offa, and his Coronation was documented at `Burva`.

The chronicler Galfridus de Fontibus also described the coronation as having taken place at "Bures", which is an ancient royal hill. It is the general belief that this was the lonely hilltop, where St Stephen's Chapel now stands and below is the stone at the rear of the chapel marking the supposed spot where Edmund was crowned.

Unfortunately, Edmund didn`t survive long, the invading Danes captured Edmund and held a mock trial, reviled, stripped, and scourged him because he would not renounce the Christian Faith. He only opened his lips once and that was to confess to Christ.At the end of the November day, the Danes led him out of the village of Hoxne bound him to an oak at the edge of the forest and then in a most calculated cruel way made him a target for their arrows, deliberately avoiding any vital parts.

The Danish Chief gave him one last chance to renounce his Faith, but he refused. The Danes decapitated him without mercy. Poor Bishop Humbert who had carried out the Coronation followed the same terrible fate within minutes.

When the Danes left the area, the local Christian men recovered his body and laid it to rest in a local wooden Chapel (thought to be here)

In 903, the Danish Christian King Canute transferred his body to Bury, which in time became the site of the Abbey we see today.

The interior of the chapel contains the effigies of three Earls of Oxford, the only survivors of twenty-one tombs once found at Earls Colne Priory. This priory, like many others, became ruined after the Reformation and only a shell remains today.

At least, there appear to be three: close inspection by expert eyes has suggested that they are in fact made up from pieces of seven separate monuments which were originally located at Earls Colne Priory. This was mainly due to the confusion in trying to piece together the tombs, after the destruction of the original Priory.

This chapel then fell into disuse after the Reformation. It was converted to a hospital in the plague of 1739 and later became cottages then eventually a barn, hence its local name "Chapel Barn". Glebe Terrier of 1739 reports, "Smallpox outbreak, Chapel Barn hospital full to capacity"

As the name Chapel Barn implies, this simple building resembles a barn - indeed that is what it remained as until its restoration 70 years ago. It was a barn, however, of stone, with narrow lancet windows and a steeply pitched thatched roof. Extensions in brick and timber at the west and north date from the period after the Reformation when the building became cottages.

Strangely, what looks on the outside like an agricultural outbuilding, seen inside resembles a mausoleum.

It was restored to its present condition in the 1930s by members of the Probert family and re-consecrated. Once a year each summer, a service is held in the chapel by the congregation of St Mary`s Church, Bures.

One further thing to talk about this site is that from here can be seen the Bures dragon, first recorded in 1405 by a local monk, and recounted several times thereafter. According to the account, several townsfolk claimed they saw the terrifying creature firsthand. The huge beast had a crested head, serrated teeth, and long tail. It terrorized the village, breathing fire at anything that moved and even killing a shepherd and his flock.

The town panicked. The men of the fiefdom tried to kill the dragon with arrows, but they bounced right off the monster’s hard skin. Soon, men from across the country were summoned to slay the dragon, which fled down river toward the adjacent village of Wormingford and disappeared into the marshes, never to be seen again. (Or, to hear the town of Wormingford tell it, was heroically slain there.)

While the villagers of Bures almost certainly did not witness a dragon that spring of 1405, the sighting of a scaly beast may in fact be true. The prevailing theory is that the “dragon” may have actually been a crocodile that was given to King Richard I as a gift from King Saladin during the 12th-century Crusades. The reptile would have been kept at the Tower of London in the royal menagerie but is believed to have escaped and ended up in the marshes near Bures.

In any event, the region has long associated with the medieval mythical beast. Several old churches in the area have depictions of dragons on their walls, including a 15th-century painting of the storied creature in the Wissington Church a few miles from Bures. In honor of this legendary dragon, and in celebration of the Queen’s Golden Jubilee, the Bures Dragon was etched into the hill in 2012, a physical rendition of the local tale.

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Languard Point - To see the world`s largest container ship

When it was reported in a local newspaper that the world's largest container ship was in Felixstowe docks, (that's Languard Point,) we made our way to see this mammoth. Luckily, we had planned a visit for another reason already!Making our way to the car park close to the observation area, it was obvious that the news travels fast - there were a lot of people about for the same reason no doubt.

World's largest container ship MSC Loreto at Felixstowe

It has the capability of holding more than 24,346 containers.

A view of the MSC Loreto with a large Stena Line passenger ferry passing by.

The Stena Line ferry rounds the river mouth against a backdrop of a radar tower and a line of shallow water markers

Parts of the timber pier which once carried rail lines to the end of the jetty. The railway was linked to Landguard Fort where, in the latter part of the 19th century and the early years of the 20th century, a system of using submerged mines was devised to protect the approaches to Harwich Harbour.

The railway was used to transport the mines, using hand-pushed trucks, to the jetty where they were loaded on ships and deployed in the harbour.

The mines were anchored by heavy plates and floated to within about twenty feet of the surface (at low water). At this depth they did not interfere with the normal traffic entering and leaving the port. Cables from the mines were connected to the fort's observation post, which was complete with telescope and rangefinder. The telescope would be trained on the bows of an intruding vessel and when the vessel reached the location of one of the mines an electrical contact was automatically made, and the mine exploded.

The mines were designed to cause an upsurge of water so that the vessel would be disabled, not blown up.

We love the area and have visited many times, whether for sight of specific birds or flowers. The official description is: "Landguard is a designated Local Nature Reserve (LNR) due to its value to the local community and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) because of its high wildlife conservation value, such as its rare, vegetated shingle habitat and botanical species"

On top of which you can see a wide variety of ships going in and out of the Felixstowe docks as well as Harwich. Well worth visiting.

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Felixstowe - a day out

Felixstowe is the nearest seaside town to us and seems to be gaining in popularity judging by the number of people seen there. A couple of visits within a few days and here are some images from those visits, including my first sight of the new Ferris wheel. But to start, some images from the Languard end of Felixstowe.

Many ferries as well as container vessels are visible at virtually any time.

Looking inland there is the beautiful Nature Reserve. Here with part of the old fort in the background.

Then, of course, the busy container port. The Port of Felixstowe is the United Kingdom's largest container port, dealing with 48% of Britain's containerised trade. In 2017, it was ranked as the 43rd busiest container port in the world and 8th in Europe, with a handled traffic of 3.85 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). In 2019 it was ranked the UKs 7th busiest port - shows how it`s growing! Mind you, if you travel the A14 in the area you will see evidence of its growth with a continuous stream of container lorries.

As I said, all sorts of people visit Felixstowe these days - even The Wicker Family. Made by Tracey Barritt-Brown.

Used to be observation towers and gun emplacements guarding the entrance to Harwich

Blocks to stop all sorts of landing craft

Two types of observation for plotting ship positions - think I would trust the radar more!

The new Felixstowe Ferris wheel.

To quote from the local press: A new feature can be seen on a coastal resort's promenade after a Ferris wheel was erected. The temporary attraction, opposite Mannings Amusements in Felixstowe, Suffolk, stands at more than 34.5m (113ft) tall. Once open later this month, it will be able to hold 144 people, with six in each of its 24 gondolas.

The tourism organisation Visit Felixstowe said it was a "great feature" for the town.

East Suffolk Council approved plans for the observation wheel on Sea Road in June. At the time, it said it would provide an "additional attraction to the tourism offer at the resort, helping to support the wider economy".

Obviously, we all had to have a ride and enjoy the views from the top.

Colourful beach huts on the promenade

View from under the pier

Pier from the nearby beach. Where was everybody? - all on the pier it seemed when we went to try the slot machines.

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Boxford - memories.

Today I made a visit to the village where I used to live - Boxford in Suffolk. My aim on this visit, was to take a few photographs of the lovely Church.

The origins of the Boxford church are unclear, but there is indirect reference to it in the Domesday Book (1086) via an entry for the Manor of Kodenham, which lay in what is now the Parish of Boxford. In that reference the church is recorded as having 20 acres of Glebe Land, an area which remained constant right up to the twentieth century. By 1286 the village is recorded as Boxford and paying dues to the Abbots of Bury St. Edmunds. The boundaries with the parishes of Groton and Edwardstone, to the north and west respectively, used to run to within a few meters of the northern boundary of the churchyard. The church therefore probably served the scattered populations to the south. However, with the growth of the wool industry, Boxford expanded north across the River Box into the area now occupied by Broad Street and the bottom end of Swan Street.

The north porch is from the 14th century and is quite rare in that it is almost entirely made of timber. Now much worn, and showing its age, the porch is nonetheless a rather moving testament to the longevity of English oak!

This wooden porch has been called one of the most interesting 14th-century porches still in existence. It is not spectacular, but rather an interesting example of rural ecclesiastical architecture in the medieval period.

The south porch is regarded as one of the county's grandest 15th century affairs, in bright stone. Six elegant niches line the top, flanking a larger seventh. In the spandrels are an angel and the Blessed Virgin, depicting the Annunciation.

The south door of St Mary's

There are medieval frescos of Angels at the incarnation above the chancel arch and of Edmund King and Martyr in the Lady Chapel. Sadly, all the others have been lost during redecoration of various eras, especially the 1970s.

Perhaps the most memorable feature of the nave is the striking 17th century font cover, which opens out like the one at Bramford. Inside are painted ribbons with quotes from St John's Gospel. Two are taken from Nicodemus' question and Christ's answer. The other is from the Last Supper, Christ's answer when Peter baulks at Christ washing his feet.

A winter image of St Mary`s Church

Boxford village sign is an interesting assortment. At the top we have two apples and cereal heads. The apples relate to the fruit farm and the Copella brand name. The cereals, for farming in the area. Below is the church with a tree and the River Box from which Boxford got its name. The sheep represent Boxford during the wealthy times of the wool trade. The smock mill with annular sails was short-lived as they were destroyed in 1881 after only 20 years' service and were replaced by shuttered sails with which we are more familiar.

The watermill was located very close to the village centre. The man with the motorbike complete with lion in the sidecar, is Tornado Smith of Wall of Death fame. He lived at the White Hart Inn with his parents. He was well known in the thirties for riding the wall of Death with a lioness called Briton on the motorcycle. The lioness is buried in front of the White Hart.

A couple of houses opposite the church. These are just two of the many beautiful houses in Boxford.

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Groton - The Winthrop legacy

John Winthrop was famous as the leader and founder of the Massachusetts Bay Colony in what is now the USA. He was born on 12 January 1588 to wealthy parents Adam and Anne Winthrop in Edwardstone. In 1613, when John was twenty-five, his father transferred the family holdings in Groton to him, so then he became Lord of the Manor at Groton.

He was a lawyer and one of the leading figures in founding the Massachusetts Bay Colony, the second major settlement in New England following Plymouth Colony. Winthrop led the first large wave of colonists from England in 1630 and served as governor for 12 of the colony's first 20 years. His writings and vision of the colony as a Puritan "city upon a hill" dominated New England colonial development, influencing the governments and religions of neighboring colonies in addition to those of Massachusetts.

The Puritan population in England had been growing for several years leading up to this time. They disagreed with the practices of the Church of England, whose rituals they viewed as superstitions. An associated political movement attempted to modify religious practice in England to conform to their views, and King James I wished to suppress this growing movement. Nevertheless, the Puritans eventually gained a majority in Parliament. James' son Charles came into direct conflict with Parliament and viewed them as a threat to his authority. He temporarily dissolved Parliament in 1626, and again the next year, before dissolving it permanently in March 1629. The King's imposition of Personal Rule gave many Puritans a sense of hopelessness regarding their future in that country, and many prepared to leave it permanently for life in New England, and a wealthy group of leaders obtained a royal charter in March 1629 for the Massachusetts Bay Colony.

A fleet of five ships had departed a month previously for New England that included approximately 300 colonists led by Francis Higginson. However, the colony leaders and the bulk of the colonists remained in England for the time being to plan more thoroughly for the success of the new colony. In October 1629, the group who remained in England elected John Winthrop to be Governor of the Fleet and the Colony. Over the ensuing winter, the leaders recruited a large group of Puritan families, representing all manner of skilled labor to ensure a robust colony.

The initial group (Arbella and her three escorts) departed Yarmouth, Isle of Wight on April 8, the remainder following in two or three weeks. Seven hundred men, women, and children were distributed among the ships of the fleet.

The Winthrop Fleet was a well-planned and financed expedition that formed the nucleus of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They were not the first settlers of the area; there was an existing settlement at Salem, started in about 1626 and populated by a few hundred Puritans governed by John Endicott, most of whom had arrived in 1629. Winthrop superseded Endicott as Governor of the Colony upon his arrival in 1630. The flow of Puritans to New England continued for another ten years, during a period known as the Great Migration.

Groton Place - Home of the Winthrop family.

The Winthrop family made their home at Groton Place, now converted, along with its' Barns, into six homes.

Much of the church at Groton has been restored with funds donated by American Winthrop's and their friends. For that reason, the interior lacks some of the historic interest found in many medieval churches in this area of Suffolk, though it is, it must be said, in a generally good state of repair thanks to the American donations!

In a land of flint churches, Groton's church stands out more than most due to its honest simplicity. St Bartholomew's has interior walls of a fine Suffolk pink.

Needs no explanation!

General view of the church down the nave looking East over the font

A window in memory of John Saville-Halifax (1804-1872) and his wife and daughter. He was rector here in 1865.

The large window of the 1875 pairs Moses handing out the Ten Commandments with Christ's Sermon on the Mount. It reads - In Memory of John Winthop Lord of the Manor of Groton 1618, first Governor of Massachusetts and Founder of Boston in New England 1630

The Groton Winthrop black mulberry is one of the oldest in Britain, thought to have been planted in about 1550 by Adam Winthrop, grandfather of John Winthrop. The Winthrop family maintains contact with the village and its historic tree. The tree is in a field known as The Croft, protected by a wooden fence.

Groton Hall, which is adjoining the church

John Winthrop held his first court as Justice of the Peace at Groton Hall in 1609. He became Lord of the Manor in 1618

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